Firms urged into agency worker rethink

The majority of firms that use agency workers have maintained or increased their use in the last 5 years, according to research.

A survey by the Resolution Foundation of 500 firms found that 43% had increased their share of agency workers since 2012, and 46% had kept it the same. In comparison, only 9% decreased their use of agency workers during that time.

Construction firms were the most likely to have increased their agency worker share (56%). This was followed by wholesale, retail and motor trade businesses (51%), and administration, professional and real estate industries (47%).

Demand looks set to continue, as 55% expect their use of agency workers to stay the same over the next 5 years, and 25% plan to increase it.

However, recent estimates from the ONS suggest a decline in the agency workforce, which dropped by about 11,000 workers from 2016 to 2017.